Video: Microsoft demos multi-touch in Windows 7

Gates and Ballmer share stage to demonstrate new features

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After Microsoft demonstrated multi-touch as part of its Windows 7 demo at the All Things Digital conference in Carlsbad, California, its bloggers were quick to follow up, posting a vid of the new multi-touch features and commentary on the demo.

Blogger Chris Flores says the development follows on from last year’s debut of Microsoft’s Surface technology at All Things Digital and it’s further demonstration in front of TechRadar at CES 2008. “Surface harnesses touch and multi-touch capabilities to provide users with a natural way to interact directly with computing devices. Expect to see the table-like Surface devices in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues,” says Flores, a Director at Microsoft working on the Windows Client Communications Team.

Gates/Ballmer appearance a coup

“Touch is quickly becoming a common way of directly interacting with software and devices,” he adds. “What becomes even more compelling is when this experience is delivered to the PC -on a wide variety of Windows notebooks, in all-in-one PC's, as well as in external monitors.”

“In working with our broad ecosystem of hardware and software manufactures, we're excited to be showing some of the great work and investments we are working on in Windows 7.”

All Things Digital is a conference held every year by the Wall Street Journal and hosted by its top tech columnist Walt Mossberg. 2008 is the sixth time the event has been held and is notable for getting access to top executives.

Last year Bill Gates and Steve Jobs shared a stage and a joint interview and this year’s joint Ballmer/Gates appearance is somewhat of a coup a month before Gates steps down from day-to-day Microsoft duties.